RICHLAND -- The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission today set earlier and longer than usual waterfowl hunting seasons, among other action, at their meeting in Richland.

Statewide duck hunting will open Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997, a week before the traditional second-Saturday-of-October hunting opener . The season will run through Saturday, Jan. 17, 1998, making it two weeks longer than last year's in western Washington and one week longer than last year's in eastern Washington.

Goose hunting will open Oct. 11, 1997 and spans Jan. 18, 1998 in most of western Washington (through Jan. 4 in Island, Skagit, and Snohomish counties) and in all of eastern Washington; as usual, hunting is open only on select days of the week during that season in southwestern and eastern management areas. The westside season is a week longer than last year's to address agricultural damage situations; the eastside season is the same length as last year's.

Duck hunters will be allowed to take up to two hen mallards and three pintails in their daily bag limit of seven ducks. Last year only one hen mallard and two pintails were allowed among the daily limit of seven ducks.

Federal guidelines for season length and species bag limits on waterfowl (which are migratory between states) allowed for the expansions because North American duck production is at record levels due to more water in breeding areas.

"The good news from this Pacific Flyway information is not just for waterfowl hunters," said Commission chair Lisa Pelly, "but also for anyone who loves to watch these migratory birds this fall. I encourage viewers to get out and enjoy them, too."

The Commission also set a special statewide youth duck/coot hunting day on Sept. 27, and an eastern Washington youth upland game bird hunt on Sept. 27-28. The hunts are open only to hunters 15 years of age or under if accompanied by a non- hunting adult of at least 18.

By Commission approval, the non-toxic shot requirement for waterfowl hunting now also includes tungsten-iron shot.

All waterfowl hunting season and rule details, including the southwest's dusky Canada goose quotas and a special late, westside damage-control hunt for Advanced Hunter Education program graduates, will be available in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) migratory bird hunting pamphlet as soon as it is printed and distributed to hunting license vendors and WDFW offices early next month.

In other action the Commission:

• Classified the Oregon spotted frog as a state endangered species because it is now found in only ten percent of its western Washington range; downlisted the Aleutian Canada goose from endangered to threatened status because recovery efforts have increased its numbers in Washington; downlisted the gray whale from endangered to sensitive status because years of protection have returned its abundance to historic levels; and dropped from any listing consideration the Olive Ridley sea turtle because its range does not include Washington;